Directors Guild Award propels 'Gravity' into Oscar spotlight

The major awards given filmmakers before the Academy Awards have been split among three movies -- but this year's 66th annual Directors Guild Award went to Alfonso Cuaron for his brilliant work on "Gravity."

The question: Do you feel that Cuaron will go on to win an Oscar -- and if that happens, does "Gravity" win Best Picture of 2013?Or will there be a split vote, with Best Direction and Best Film going to different movies.

"12 Years a Slave" and "American Hustle" now appear to be running neck and neck with "Gravity" as the three strongest Oscar candidates.

I found this tidbit interesting though. Concerning the first 65 Directors Guild Awards ... the winner has also gone on to win the Academy Award for Best Director 58 times out of the possible 65.

Only seven times have Oscar and the Directors Guild disagreed -- and I must admit, I personally favor the choice made by the Directors Guild in 5 of those 7 split-years.all but 2 years out of 65.

Actually, in 1985, I probably would not be upset if either name had taken the Oscar, but looking back, I was rooting for Pollack that year.

But I definitly would have faviored the Directors Guild Award (DGA) in every other year except 2002. Rob Marshal's direction of "Chicago" was indeed wonderful and memorable -- but Roman Polanski very much deserved the Oscar he won for "The Pianist."

Again, Here are the seven times when Oscar and the DGA winner differed.

* 1968 -- DGA to Anthony Harvey for "The Lion in Winter," and Oscar to Carol Reed for "Oliver!"

* 1972 -- DGA to Francis Ford Coppola for "The Godfather," and Oscar to Bob Fosse for "Cabaret"

* 1985 -- DGA to Steven Spielberg for "The Color Purple," and Oscar to Sydney Pollack for "Out of Africa"